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Emergence of a Fluctuating Ground State in Y-Kapellasite under Pressure
Y-kapellasite [Y3Cu9(OH)19Cl8], which hosts an original anisotropic kagome sublattice, is a promising candidate for studying elusive and complex correlated physics. It exhibits a theoretically predicted in-plane (1/3; 1/3) magnetic order, but its magnetic interaction values place it close to a phase boundary to a spin liquid state ...
Green biomass as a sustainable source of protein
The food industry is increasingly focusing on sustainable products. Proteins from green biomass are a promising option, as a research team involving the MLZ has discovered. These can be used, for example, as stabilisers in emulsions, such as in plant-based alternatives to yogurt, milk, ice cream, or cheese.
Versatile Magneto- Dielectric Response of Epitaxial Thin Films of the High Entropy Oxide Perovskite Nd(Cr0.2Mn0.2Fe0.2Co0.2Ni0.2)O3
We report the dielectric and magnetic properties of epitaxial thin films of the high entropy oxide (HEO) perovskite Nd(Cr0.2Mn0.2Fe0.2Co0.2Ni0.2)O3, which orders magnetically below Tmag ≈ 190 K.
At T ≫ Tmag, the dielectric response reveals ...
Resolving Complex Multiscale Structure of Magneto- and Electroactive Polymer Composites With an Ionic Liquid
A multiscale understanding of the structure of ionogels – nanoparticle-free polymer composites incorporating ionic liquids – is essential for enhancing their macroscopic functional properties and unlocking their potential in critical applications such as energy storage, sensing, and actuation. We establish ...
Oxygen-isotope effect on the density wave transitions in La3Ni2O7
The isotope effect is a powerful probe of electron-phonon interactions in solid-state systems, offering key insights into how atomic mass influences emergent quantum states. Here, the impact of oxygen-isotope substitution (16O→18O) on charge- and spin-density wave (CDW and SDW) transitions in the double-layer Ruddlesden-Popper nickelate La3Ni2O7 is investigated ...
Pressure and oxygen-isotope substitution on density-wave transitions in La4Ni3O10
Understanding the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity in nickelate systems is a key objective in condensed matter physics. Gaining microscopic insights into magnetism—particularly as it emerges near superconductivity—requires a synergistic approach that combines complementary experimental techniques with controlled tuning of external parameters. In this paper, we present ...
Powder-level carbide modification controls HIP grain growth and enhances fatigue in reused additively manufactured superalloy
Inconel 718 dominates laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) builds as the benchmark Ni superalloy for its γ′/γ″ hardenability, weldability, and qualification pedigree, yet its fatigue resistance remains limited by porosity, tensile residual stresses, and microstructural heterogeneity ...
Robust AC Vector Sensing at Zero Magnetic Field with Pentacene
Quantum sensors based on electronic spins have emerged as powerful probes of microwave-frequency fields. Among other solid-state platforms, spins in molecular crystals offer a range of advantages, from high spin density to functionalization via chemical tunability. Here, we demonstrate ...
Magnetic Signature of Chiral Phonons Revealed by Neutron Spectroscopy in Ferrimagnetic Fe1.75Zn0.25Mo3O8
Lattice vibrations can carry angular momentum and magnetic moments under broken inversion or time-reversal symmetry, forming so-called chiral phonons. While such excitations have been explored in nonmagnetic systems via optical probes, their direct detection in magnetic materials and coupling to spin excitations remain largely unexplored. Here, using neutron spectroscopy, ...
Topological metal-insulator transition within the ferromagnetic state
A major challenge in condensed matter physics is integrating topological phenomena with correlated electron physics to leverage both types of states for next-generation quantum devices. Metal-insulator transitions are central to bridging these two domains while simultaneously serving as on-off switches for electronic states. Here, we demonstrate ...
How hydrogen affects titanium implants
Researchers use Swiss Spallation Neutron Source SINQ to study how medical implants change inside the body.
Niobium’s intrinsic coherence length and penetration depth revisited using low-energy muon spin spectroscopy and secondary-ion mass spectrometry
We report direct, simultaneous measurements of the London penetration depth (λL ) and Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer coherence length (ξ0) in oxygen-doped niobium, with impurity concentrations spanning the “clean”to “dirty” limits ...
Room-Temperature Magnetic Skyrmions and Intrinsic Anomalous Hall Effect in a Nodal-Line Kagomé Ferromagnet MnRhP
Topological magnetic semimetals with kagomé lattices have attracted significant attention due to their nontrivial electronic band structures and pronounced electromagnetic responses. The search for kagomé-lattice topological semimetals exhibiting magnetic ordering above room temperature is essential ...
Muon Knight Shift as a Precise Probe of the Superconducting Symmetry of Sr2RuO4
Muon spin rotation (𝜇SR) measurements of internal magnetic field shifts, known as the muon Knight shift, are used for determining pairing symmetries in superconductors. While this technique has been especially effective for 𝑓-electron-based heavy-fermion superconductors, it remains challenging ...
Low-frequency electrochemical pulsing to manage flooding and salt precipitation in zero-gap CO2-to-ethylene electrolyzers
The electrochemical conversion of CO2 to ethylene offers a promising approach to expand manufacturing of commodity chemicals and fuels. Specifically, ethylene is a critical precursor for polyethylene a $240B industry. Expanding productivity ...
Robust magnetic polaron percolation in the antiferromagnetic CMR system EuCd2P2
The interplay between magnetism and charge transport is central to understanding colossal magnetoresistance (CMR), a phenomenon well studied in ferromagnets. Recently, antiferromagnetic (AFM) EuCd2P2 has attracted considerable interest ...
Advanced muon-spin spectroscopy with high lateral resolution using Si-pixel detectors
Muon-spin spectroscopy at continuous sources has stagnated at a stopped muon rate of ∼40kHz for the last few decades. The major limiting factor is the requirement of a single muon in the sample during the typical 10µsdata gate window. To overcome this limit ...
Realizing Blume-Capel Degrees of Freedom with Toroidal Moments in a Ruby Artificial Spin Ice
Realizing exotic Hamiltonians beyond the Ising model is a key pursuit in experimental statistical physics. Onesuch example is the Blume-Capel model, a three-state spin model, whose phase diagram features a tricritical point where second-order and first-order transition lines converge, leading to a coexistence of paramagnetic, ferromagnetic, and disordered phases. Here, we realize ...
Investigating the hidden content of Tibetan bronze statues using modern neutron imaging techniques
Bronze statues hold deep significance in Buddhism and Bon, often containing relics sealed within their hollow interiors. Traditional scholarly methods, such iconographic analysis, cannot access the hidden contents of these statues without risking physical damage. This study proposes ...
Surface-localized magnetic order in RuO2 thin films revealed by low-energy muon probes
Ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) has recently emerged as an altermagnetic candidate, but its intrinsic magnetic ground state in thin films remains widely debated. This study aims to clarify the nature and spatial extent of the magnetic order in RuO2thin films grown under different conditions ...
Discovery of high-temperature charge order and time-reversal symmetry-breaking in the kagome superconductor YRu3Si2
Identifying high-temperature unconventional charge order and superconductivity in kagome systems is crucial for understanding frustrated, correlated electrons and enabling future quantum technologies. Here, we report that ...
Anisotropic Band-Split Magnetism in Magnetostrictive CoFe2O4
Single crystal spinel CoFe₂O₄ exhibits the largest room-temperature saturation magnetostriction among non-rare-earth compounds and a high Curie temperature (T₍c₎ ∼ 780 K), properties that are critical to a wide range of industrial and medical applications. Neutron spectroscopy ...
Operando neutron imaging of an alkaline electrolysis cell for mapping gas distributions
Optimizing hydrogen and oxygen transport within porous electrodes is essential for improving the efficiency of industrial alkaline electrolyzers. In this study, we utilize operando dynamic neutron radiographic measurements to investigate ...
Spin-Disorder-Induced Angular Anisotropy in Polarized Magnetic Neutron Scattering
We experimentally report a hitherto unseen angular anisotropy in the polarized small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) cross section of a magnetically strongly inhomogeneous material ...
Single-chain polymer nanoparticles for oil solubilization
We report on the oil solubilization of amphiphilic single chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) based on random copolymers composed of oligo(ethyleneglycol) methacrylate (OEGMA) and anthracene methacrylate (AnMA). Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) combined with molecular dynamics simulations reveal ...
Coexistence of Insulatorlike Paramagnon and Metallic Spin-Orbit Exciton Modes in SrIrO3
We probe the spectrum of elementary excitations in SrIrO3 by using heterostructured [(SrIrO3)m / (SrTiO3)l] samples to approach the bulk limit. Our resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) measurements at the Ir L3 edge reveal ...
Hydrogen bonding exacerbates viscoelasticity of amino acid– and betaine surfactant self-assemblies
Many day-to-day materials rely on formulations of surfactants to control flow, texture and application. Inspired by the pairing of bases between DNA strands, we demonstrate enhanced control ...
Depth-resolved magnetic order in superconducting topological insulator/FeTe thin film heterostructures
The search for chiral topological superconductivity in magnetic topological insulator (TI)-FeTe heterostructures is a key frontier in condensed matter physics, with potential applications in topological quantum computing. The combination of ferromagnetism, superconductivity, and topologically nontrivial surface states brings together the key elements required for chiral Majorana physics. In this work ...
In-situ neutron tomography study of a dehydrating and hydrating packed bed for thermochemical heat storage
To study the heat and water vapor transport and reaction kinetics in a packed bed of thermo-chemical material on both reactor and tablet level, an in-situ neutron imaging study of a dehydrating and subsequently hydrating packed bed consisting of cylindrical K2 CO3 tablets was performed at the Paul Scherrer Institute ...
Field-Induced Magnon Decay, Magnon Shadows, and Rotonlike Excitations in the Honeycomb Antiferromagnet YbBr3
The search for new quantum many-body phenomena in magnetic materials has a strong focus on highly frustrated systems and the resulting quantum spin-liquid state. However, even unfrustrated magnetic materials show a multitude of unconventional features in their spin excitation spectra. By using the synergy of ...